DMG NEWSLETTER FOR FRIDAY, MAY 24th, 2019

U.S. Blues
written by Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia
(Found on Grateful Dead’s ‘From the Mars Hotel’ album, June, 1974)

Red and white, blue suede shoes,
I'm Uncle Sam, how do you do?
Give me five, I'm still alive.
Ain't no luck, I learned to duck.

Check my pulse, it don't change.
Stays seventy-two come shine or rain.
Wave the flag, pop the bag,
Rock the boat, skin the goat.
Wave that flag, wave it wide and high.
Summertime done come and gone, my, oh, my.

I'm Uncle Sam, that's who I am;
Been hidin' out in a rock and roll band.
Of P. T. Barnum and Charlie Chann.
Shine your shoes, light the fuse.
Can you use them old U.S. Blues?
I'll drink ya health, share ya wealth,
Run ya life, steal ya wife.
Wave that flag, wave it wide and high.
Summertime done come and gone, my, oh, my.

Back to back
chicken shack.
Son of a gun,
better change your act.
We're all confused, what's to lose,
You can call this all the United States Blues.
Wave that flag, wave it wide and high.
Summertime done come and gone, my, oh, my.
Summertime done come and gone, my, oh, my

‘U.S. Blues’ kicks off the Grateful Dead movie (with some apt animation) as well as the Dead album, ‘From the Mars Hotel’. For me, this studio album is near perfect, every song is uplifting, musically speaking. Some of the lyrics are a bit on the silly side, yet this is part of the Dead’s mythology: enigmatic seriousness wrapped in silliness or so it seems. I just got back from FIMAV, an annual New Music Festival in Victoriaville, Quebec. I had a wonderful time thanks to the way the festival is set up (flawlessly), the large number of challenging, diverse bands and our ever-growing family/community of serious music listeners. I listened to this song in the long car ride up and back, sang along and it did make me smile. We may all have the “U.S. Blues”, but music helps us to escape the reach of dark currents underneath. The Summer is about to begin so let’s celebrate the better things that life provides… Peace & Love from Brother Bruce

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The Downtown Music Gallery 28th Anniversary Celebrations begins on May 1st!
Every In-store in May Helps Celebrate the Spirit of Creative Music Performed Live.

Sunday, May 26th:
6pm: JONATHAN CHEN / GAMIN - Electronics / Korean Double Reeds!

Sunday, June 2nd:
6pm: WHAT HAPPENS IN A YEAR: GIACOMO MEREGA / JOSH SINTON / TODD NEUFELD!
7pm: URS LEIMGRUBER - Solo Sax!

Sunday, June 9th:
6pm: BRANDON SEABROOK & JESSE DULMAN - Guitar / Tuba Duo
7pm: VIV CORRINGHAM / DAVE MANDL / DAVID WATSON / AARON MOORE -
Voice / Bass Guitar / Guitar / Percussion

Monday, June 10th:
6pm: WILLIAM PARKER - Book Celebration!

DMG is located at 13 Monroe St. (between Catherine & Market Sts) in a basement below a small gallery. Take the F train to East Broadway or the 6 train to  Canal or the B or D to Grand, or the M-15 bus to Madison & Catherine. Come on Down, the Sunday Music Series is Always Free & the Vibes are Always Cosy. You can check the weekly in-store sets through our Instagram feed

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Important Information and Request from JOHN ZORN:

VINYL SERIES TO HELP OFFSET THE LOSS FROM THE PLEDGE DISASTER
Hi everyone. The Book Beriah 11-cd box set was a labor of love, three years in the making, and we put a huge amount of Tzadik funding into making it happen. Sadly our distribution platform PLEDGE MUSIC ripped us (and hundreds of other artists) off and we will NOT be paid a single penny from their sales.

To help offset this HUGE loss for us we have initiated a limited edition vinyl series. Please help us by purchasing the collection – and spread the word to your friends!

You can put your preorder in now at this address: https://tzadik.limitedrun.com/

Thanks to you all for your continued support! — John Zorn

You can read more about this situation here: www.npr.org/2019/05/14/723225435/as-a-crowdfunding-platform-implodes-a-legendary-composer-rebounds

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This Week’s Dynamite Discs begin with this Gem:

* MATT MITCHELL with MILES OKAZAKI / PATRICIA BRENNAN / KIM CASS / KATE GENTILE - Phalanx Ambassadors (Pi Records ; USA) “‘Phalanx Ambassadors’ is the latest release from pianist/keyboardist/composer Matt Mitchell, whom Will Layman in PopMatters calls “the most complete and well-integrated improvising pianist of the last 15 years.” He also called his prior release, A Pouting Grimace (Pi 2017), “brilliant and varied… animated by breathtaking compositional imagination and startling arrangements.”Phalanx Ambassadors similarly features works that burst forth with intricate detail, featuring precise execution of multi-layered rhythmic material, adventurous harmonic exploration and otherworldly melodies. While rigorously structured, the music also leaves ample room for intertwining improvisation.
If Pi Recordings has a “house pianist,” Mitchell would be it. Not only is this his fourth release as a leader for the label, he’s also appeared on seven other critically-acclaimed Pi releases from Steve Coleman, Dan Weiss, Jonathan Finlayson and Anna Webber, not to mention his work with the likes of Tim Berne, Dave Douglas, John Hollenbeck, John Zorn, and Linda May Han Oh, among many others. The reasons are obvious: Mitchell is almost uniquely capable of tackling such a huge range of musical material. Indeed, it seems as if he thrives on fresh challenges, both from other musicians, but especially of his own device.
‘Phalanx Ambassadors’ is no exception. As guitarist Miles Okazaki said: “With Matt’s music there is just an incredible shitload of information. It seemed to be an endlessly branching decision tree, where any momentary lapse of concentration would just leave you lost in the wilderness. Anyone who’s seen Matt play can relate how he seems to have trained himself to reach and maintain extreme levels of focus, navigating multiple streams of information that would clog the synapses of two or three competent players.” Mitchell called this “pretty definitively the most challenging music I’ve ever written for a band, ever,” which given his prior output, is saying a lot. Nevertheless, the music retains its melodicism, with episodes of shimmering finery and swinging, albeit sometimes off-kilter, grooves. Pianist Cory Smythe, a long-time admirer who is best known as the pianist for the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and collaborations with drummer Tyshawn Sorey said of the music: “How is he managing to make so much dissonance — harmonic and rhythmic — gleam? His pieces all seem to set out to accomplish something by way of an almost cartoonish (in the best, most fanciful, clangorous way) profusion of parts, gears, levers. It comes at you like paragraphs of musical information all leading, ultimately, to a kind of epiphanic conclusion.”
The eponymously-named band – with Mitchell on piano and keyboards, Okazaki on guitars, Patricia Brennan on vibes and marimba, Kim Cass on bass, and Kate Gentile on drums — rehearsed for eight months in advance of their first performance in 2016, evidence not just of the music’s difficulty, but of the shared commitment to this music from each of the band’s members. Along with producer David Torn, the musicians descend into the maelstrom that is Mitchell’s idiosyncratic sound world, creating music that eludes all genre boundaries and conventions.”
CD $15

* MATT MITCHELL & MILES OKAZAKI will be playing in a new quartet at the Jazz Gallery
on Friday, May 24th at 7:30 & 9:30pm.


HIKASHU With AFRIRAMPO / HIRASAWA SUSUMU - LIVE (Makigami Records 0014; Japan) Hikashu feature Makigami Koichi on vocals, theremin, cornet & shakuhachi, Mita Freeman on guitar & vocals, Shimizu Kazuto piano synth & bass clarinet, Sakaide Masami on bass and Sato Masaharu on drums. The guests here include Afrirampo (Oni on guitar & vocals, Pika on drums & vocals), Hirasawa Sumusu & Fushimi Hotaru on guitars & Kera on voice. It may seem hard to believe that Makigami’s long-running band, Hikashu, turned 40 a few years back (2016), but is the truth and they have evolved quite a bit over their 40 year career. Lucky for me & other fans in NYC & Victo, that we’ve had the opportunity to catch them live around a half dozen times over the past decade. What started out as a rather silly, sort of New Wave-ish band, has worked their way through all sorts of progressive/humorous/improv/impossible to pigeonhole excursions & detours.
Hikashu’s latest release is yet another 2 CD set (like their last one), recorded live in Japan in December of 2016. Also like their last release, their guests include that wacky Japanese female duo: Afrirampo, who played at Victo in 2018 and wowed those in attendance. This 2 CD also features two guest guitarists, Hirasawa Susumu & Fushimi Hotaru, neither of whom we know of previously, although research shows Hirasawa playing with band called P-Model. What I love about Hikashu is this: they mix humor with a wide variety unexpected twists & turns, progressive-sounding improv that is consistently unpredictable and crazy-sounding! On the first piece, there is some extraordinary shredding guitar which interspersed with some wacky theremin & flute solos. Makigami’s lead vocals often remind me of a cartoon character (several characters actually) who consistently cracks folks up, but they are used liberally so that the band can take off work their way through different genres, the balance between silliness and avant-jamming is always just right. Another thing I love about Hikashu is that although many of their songs have this New Wave-like (late 70’s/early 80’s) sound, they are never held back by a simple of goofy structure when it comes to inspired soloing or unexpected twists & turns. The second discs features guests Afrirampo, a wacky female duo who once had a disc out on Tzadik. They also have a hilarious sense—of-humor with progressive/punk tendencies. Afrirampo sound like they were made to play with Hikashu, as both inspire us to laugh, impress us with their creative spirit and crazed abandon. I just got back from the Victo Fest last night and today the sun is out. This music is meant to make us feel good, both the weather and humor will help us all to feel better about life right now (5/22/19). - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
2 CD Set $26


CHARLES HAYWARD - Begin Anywhere (KlangGallerie GG 301; Germany) UK drummer & vocalist, Charles Hayward, has had a long and varied career, starting with Quiet Sun (w/ Phil Manzanera) & Radar Favourites (1st Henry Cow offshoot band), was a founding experimental rock bands This Heat & Camberwell Now, collaborated with the Raincoats & Crass, was in the reformed Massacre (w/ Frith & Laswell) and has done loads of improv sessions. From the time, Hayward formed This Heat, he was/is also their main singer and often songwriter. This Heat reformed a few years back, when one of their original members passed away and the other two members performed a memorial concert. The decided to continue and the current version is now a six piece and is called This is Not This Heat. They toured the US twice in the past couple of years and I was fortunate enough to catch them at LPR in March of this year. They were/are astonishing live and word is that they may just do one more short US tour this summer. After This Heat & Camberwell Now, Mr. Hayward recorded a number of rare solo offerings. I’ve dug them all but none of them are currently in print or easy to find.
I have always enjoyed Mr. Hayward’s distinctive voice as well as his skewered sense of humor, personal/political observations. Hayward plays everything on this disc: vocal, piano, keyboards, melodica, bass guitar & percussion. On this disc, Hayward strips things down to just voice (words) and piano /or other keyboards. Commencing with “Watching You”, there is a feeling of uneasiness, watching life go by and considering what is going on around us. There seems to be a feeling of watching the world spin, noting all of BS going in around us but not really being able to do much about it other than observe. Mr. Hayward’s slightly pinched, nasal voice is a perfect fit for his somewhat chilling, thought-provoking words. Mr. Hayward’s often skeletal approach does a fine job of evoking the darker side of life with eerie organ, scraped percussion and occasional samples used to good effect. There is something oddly enchanting about this disc that will take some time to absorb fully. It is no doubt well worth it. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $18


TIM BRADY / INSTRUMENTS OF HAPPINESS - The Happiness Handbook (Starkland 232; USA) Instruments of Happiness are an electric guitar quartet who are led by Montreal-based guitarist & composer Tim Brady. Although Fred Frith did once have an electric guitar quartet and there is a current NY-based ensemble called Dither, electric guitar quartets are still relatively rare. I have long admired the music and playing of Mr. Brady who has written for and played in several of his own ensembles as well as working and writing for guitar & orchestra. Aside from one piece by Mr. Brady, this disc features five other works by five other Canadian composers: Scott Godin, Jordan Nobles, Maxime McKinley, Gordon Fitzell and Emily Hall. Mr. Brady was very selective about each of these pieces and hence each one is very different. The first piece, “Martlandia” (by Mr. Godin) is dedicated to UK composer, Steven Martland. It begins with soft, Frippish sustain, which is followed by some exquisite harmonies, the repeated riffs of popular minimalism (Glass/Reich) at the center. This piece is rather diverse and show many sides to an electric guitar quartet: somber, quirky and in-between different styles. Mr. Brady’s “Equal but Opposite Reaction”, has an ongoing balance between several opposing strategies. Certain sections are busy with quick strumming flourishes which are interspersed with colliding riffs. Calm sections erupt into odd fragments, the dynamics and intensity is constantly shifting back & forth. Jordan Nobles’ “Deep Field” was inspired by a look into deep space by the Hubble Telescope. The music is eerie, a dreamlike look into the heavens, floating like clouds. “Reflets de Francesca Woodman” by Maxime McKinley is an homage to the photography of American photographer Francesca Woodman, whose work often involved mirrors which blurred the lines between what is and wasn’t actually there. The music also keeps changing perspectives throughout, one must listen closely to hear how the different changing parts are related or connected. Gordon Fitzell’s “Bomb Crater Garden” embraces hope during these difficult times. There is a feeling of disorientation going on here, with selective wah-wah and other guitar shrapnel dancing in the distance. The sound of the guitars being played in so many odd ways is, like rubbing the strings with objects, is most effective without dealing with any conventional melodies. The final piece is by Emily Hall and it is suite in five parts. The title, “The Happiness Handbook” is what electric guitars are supposed to inspire. As a lifetime air-guitar poser, I can relate to the power of the guitar to stir strong feelings. This piece embraces a variety of ways that electric guitars are played with layers of effects being utilized selectively. The results ever shifting and surprising in what they evoke. This piece is a strong culmination of this fine disc and showing the diverse palette of an electric guitar quartet. Bravo to Tim Brady and this truly fine unit. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
CD $15


Three New Discs from Sunnyside, Out Next Week:

ALEX HARDING / LUCIAN BAN - Dark Blue (Sunnyside 1544; USA) “Even though musicians may come from divergent places, it is amazing to find that many have the same proclivities when it comes to musical tendencies and taste. The relationship between Detroit born baritone saxophonist and bass clarinetist Alex Harding and Romanian pianist Lucian Ban is one example, in this case two musician from such different places, coalesce around the power of the blues. Their new recording, Dark Blue, is a testament to their musical and brotherly bond.”
CD $15

DAN TEPFER - Natural Machines (Sunnyside 1559; USA) “As a MacDowell Fellow and Cultural Envoy for the US State Department, a Bachelor of astrophysics and a 30-year student of piano, Dan Tepfer has distinguished himself as “one of the moment's most adventurous and relevant musicians” (New York Magazine). In the eight years since his last full-length solo release, however, he’s composed – and coded – the future. Today, he announces the multimedia, multi-sensory album Natural Machines,”
CD $15

DENNY ZEITLIN - Solo Piano - Remembering Miles (Sunnyside 1553; USA) Few forward-thinking jazz musicians are better informed from looking back than pianist Denny Zeitlin. In regularly paying homage to lifelong inspirations such as Thelonious Monk and Wayne Shorter, he finds in this jazz of the past the seeds for jazz of the future. So it shouldn’t be at all surprising that he tapped into a rich vein of ideas when he used a recent, solo piano performance at Oakland California’s Piedmont Piano Company as occasion to reinterpret some of the songs associated with the great Miles Davis.
Remembering Miles — releasing on May 10, 2019 from Sunnyside Records — is the document from that recital, and just as he did with his solo piano take on Shorter tunes, Zeitlin’s appreciation shown to another artist does even more to increase appreciation of Denny Zeitlin himself.
In taking on Miles Davis’ work, one doesn’t simply pull out compositions credited to ‘Miles Davis,’ as Miles Davis songs can be songs he actually penned, songs credited to him but likely at least partially written by someone else or songs officially composed by others but which he took over simply because he put his own unmistakable stamp on them. Zeitlin thus properly covers songs prominently recorded by Miles that characterize the true essence of Miles, regardless of whether Miles really birthed these songs or not. That applies even to ancient, traditional folk songs like “Dear Old Stockholm,” which Zeitlin plays with just the right measure of zest as Miles had been able to do.
But while Denny Zeitlin wants to capture the aura of Miles, he doesn’t seek to mimic Miles, either. He begins “Solar” by inverting the harmonic structure of the song, making it darker toned but still wholly recognizable, then embarks on a jaunty development that keeps the original conception right at arm’s length. In contrast to the smooth cadence Miles applied to Benny Golson’s “Stablemates,” Zeitlin deconstructs and expands the song (as he does all over this set) while retaining a connection to the underlying swing and its pretty melody.
“Milestones (1958 version)” was the first manifestation of Miles’ innovative modalism that later flowered on Kind Of Blue. Here, Zeitlin entwines his left- and right-handed figures in such a sophisticated way. Denny Zeitlin also mines deeper the possibilities presented by the Miles/Bill Evans modal classic “Flamenco Sketches,” playing with a flow that sets a slightly hopeful, slight melancholy affection. “Milestones (1947 version)” is of course, the John Lewis song that’s archetypal of another era of jazz: bebop. This rendition cleaves close to its original intent, rich with full chords.
The gorgeously mercurial “Circle,” the lone representative from Miles’ Second Great Quintet, is given to sensitive treatment by Zeitlin with classical flourishes. The eminently easy groovin’ “Weirdo” (“Sid’s Ahead” on Milestones) struts just as confidently in Zeitlin’s hands, who shows off a deft economy of notes with his comping hand as he improvises with the other.
The most inspired choice of these songs has to be “Tomaas.” The only selection from Davis’ final, Warner Brothers period, Zeitlin plays an abstraction with a prepared piano before settling into the familiar motif, able to retain the funk with the help of a bass line he created on his own that lends the song a sharper shape than the jam-my original.
By reaping the best of both worlds in respecting Miles’ original portrayals of his songs and moving them forward with imaginative, dynamically fresh takes, Denny Zeitlin pays ultimate homage to Miles Davis. The Prince of Darkness was a master at recognizing other people good ideas and making them great; Zeitlin does the same while he’s Remembering Miles.”
CD $15


LEE RANALDO / JIM JARMUSCH / MARC URSELLI / BALAZS PANDI - Lee Ranaldo/Jim Jarmusch/Marc Urselli/Balazs Pandi (Trost 181; Austria) “New York based producer and engineer Marc Urselli had the idea to bring people together who had never met before and let that meeting of minds create beautiful soundscapes. Film director and musician Jim Jarmusch, Sonic Youth co-founder and guitarist Lee Ranaldo shared space with versatile drummer Balázs Pándi (projects with Keiji Haino, Venetian Snares, Merzbow) for a night session at Urselli's EastSide Sound studio in downtown New York. These are the unfiltered results. Absorbing instrumental patterns of cinematic sounds and improvised rhythms. No overdubs, no editing. All was recorded live and analog, produced and mixed by Marc Urselli. The front/back cover photos were taken by photographer William Semeraro in Norway. That is why Marc Urselli gave all the songs titles inspired by Norwegian mythology. CD version includes two extra tracks. Personnel: Lee Ranaldo - guitar, pedals, bells; Jim Jarmusch - guitar, pedals, mini-synthesizer; Marc Urselli - bass, laptop; Balázs Pándi - drums.”
CD $17


JOSEPHINE WIGGS - We Fall (The Sound of Sinners 001; UK) “Alt-rock icon Josephine Wiggs is best known as bassist in The Breeders, rising to superstardom in the '90s and continuing to draw crowds and critical acclaim in the wake of their 2018 album All Nerve. But over the years, Wiggs has released several of her own albums, all of which delightfully defy genre. Her new solo record, We Fall, is both a departure and a distillation of an enduring personal aesthetic: moody and spare but also melodic, at once contemporary and nostalgic. Some influences are clear: We Fall is reminiscent of the experimentalism of Brian Eno's Another Green World (1975) and recalls the delicate, languid minimalism of Harold Budd. The album's classical inflections, sharpened by a dialog with electronic elements, evoke Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This is an album of juxtapositions: minimalist at moments, richly layered in others; ambient while also sharply focused; melancholy yet resolute. There's something both dreamy and scientific about We Fall. Wiggs, an enthusiastic amateur mycologist, has an impressive collection of mushrooms she's photographed in her travels. We Fall could be the soundtrack to what can't be captured in a single photo -- the growth and decay of miraculous creatures that a less astute and sensitive eye might overlook entirely. Composed, performed, and recorded by Wiggs, with drums and electronics by her longtime friend and collaborator Jon Mattock (Spacemen 3, Spiritualized), We Fall is a lyrical, bucolic album with an undercurrent of disquiet. Think of a wintertime walk in the woods as dusk falls too soon. True to the classic album form, the ten almost entirely instrumental tracks on We Fall form a compelling whole: a crystalline meditation on paths not taken and words unspoken, an elegy for moments lost and last embraces.”
CD $15


Historic & Archival Recordings, Restocks & Reissues:

JOHN RENBOURN - Unpentangled: The Sixties Albums (Cherry Tree Box 023; UK) The British folk/jazz quintet, Pentangle, were one of the most well-respected of all UK bands from the 1960’s, both by fans and fellow musicians alike. Pentangle was founded by two of the best acoustic guitarists on the British Isles: John Renbourn and Bert Jansch, with lead vocals from Ms. Jacqui McShee. All five of their albums (1968-1973) are essential for serious music listeners. Both guitarists, Renbourn & Jansch, had long solo careers, before, during and after the reign of Pentangle. While all of the Pentangle albums have been reissued several times, the many solo efforts by Mr. Renbourn and Mr. Jansch, are harder to locate. Housed in a clamshell box that boasts replica album sleeves, some very rare photos and a new essay on the man, the 6-CD set anthologizes that essential but often overlooked body of early work. This is essential listening for for who prefer the ever-inventive guitar playing of John Renbourn, whose playing embraces many styles: early music, classical, folk, jazz, blues and ethnic musics. - BLG/DMG
6 CD Set $46


LULLABIES FOR CATATONICS - A Journey Through the British Avant-Pop/Art-Rock Scene 1967-74 (Grapefruit Box 056; UK) “A fascinating window on a movement that stands as one of the most creative, challenging and esoteric in British music history, Lullabies For Catatonics incorporates the hugely successful (Yes, Genesis, 10cc) cheek-by-jowl alongside the unsigned (both Gnome Sweet Gnome and As You Like It now gain their first-ever commercial release), together with the art-rock collectables (Gnidrolog, Spring) and the unclassifiable avant-garde iconoclasts (Third Ear Band, Pink Floyd collaborator Ron Geesin). Housed in an attractive clamshell box, this essential set features suitably sympathetic artwork as well as a heavily illustrated 40-page booklet that includes the story behind each track.”
Features songs from: Soft Machine, Procol Harum, Dantalion’s Chariot, Giles, Giles & Fripp, Genesis, Eyes of Blue, The Liverpool Scene, Mighty Baby, Stackridge, Coxhill-Bedford Duo, Barclay James Harvest, Nirvana, Blonde on Blonde…
3 CD Set $30


BIOTA - The Biota Box (ReR Megacorp Biota Box 1; UK) 6 CD boxset (5 studio albums: Funnel To a Thread, Half a True Day, Invisible Map, Object Holder & Gyromancy) plus a bonus CD of unreleased material. The music on the bonus disc is an all new program built from the group archives and is dedicated to Charles O'Meara. The box includes a booklet of artwork as well as biographical notes on both Mnemonists and Biota, written by the engineers. This release coincides with Biota's 11th release on ReR - Fragment of Balance. Biota is a unique project, defying genre with, like all such cult artists, a small but extremely dedicated public that, over the last 15 years has grown continuously as new listeners discover them. Founded in Colorado in the late 1970s, Biota's first recordings were released under the name of the Mnemonist Orchestra who, between 1980 and 1984, released five albums on its own label, before linking up with ReR.
6 CD Box Set $65 [In stock soon]


CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - Live In Vancouver 1981 (Keyhole 9092; UK) “Captain Beefheart, live from the Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver on January 17th, 1981. Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band toured Europe and North America to promote their critically acclaimed album, Doc At The Radar Station (1980). This would be their final tour together. A year later, Don Van Vliet, a/k/a Captain Beefheart, turned his back on the music business to focus on painting. Broadcast live by CBC at the Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, on January 17, 1981, this gig featured a stunning set that showcased Captain Beefheart's blues-based aural art served with a twist of brilliant madness. As the Captain said, "If you got ears, you gotta listen." The entire CBC FM radio broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, with background liners.”
CD $17


BILLY TAYLOR with FRANK WESS / JEROME RICHARDSON / CLARK TERRY / PHIL WOODS / HENRY GRIMES / GEORGE DUVIVIER / OSIE JOHNSON / et al - Eight Classic Albums: 1955-1962 (Enlightenment 9110; EEC) A first rate Jazz musician and composer, Billy Taylor wrote over 300 songs and appeared on hundreds of albums across a six-decade career, establishing the great man as one of the most respected names from the genre's classic era. A versatile pianist who performed in numerous styles and a consummate band leader who led some of the finest trios and big bands of the late 1950s and early 1960s, Taylor equally found success in television, education and as an articulate spokesman for 'America's Classical Music', as Taylor himself dubbed Jazz Music. This 4CD boxset features music from the golden era of this superb musician and composer's long musical career, comprising as it does eight original albums first released between the mid-1950s and the early-1960s, all of which have been digitally remastered to provide the finest reproductions available. Serving as an ideal introduction to Taylor's music as well as a first class collection of his best work, this set will delight all those who take the time to listen.
4 CD Set $18


THE HABIBIYYA - If Man But Knew (Sunbeam 1022; UK) Sunbeam Records present a reissue of The Habibiyya's sole album, If Man But Knew, originally released in 1972. The album stands as one of the earliest and most beautiful pieces of world music ever recorded in Britain. The musicians involved (including three members of UK underground legends Mighty Baby) had been profoundly affected, both musically and spiritually, by visiting Morocco in 1971, and became adherents of the Sufi faith. Upon their return to London they made If Man But Knew, featuring exotic instruments such as koto, shakuhachi, and mandola alongside guitar, organ and drums, conjuring a hypnotic, otherworldly ambience in the process. It makes its long-awaited CD debut here, accompanied by detailed liner notes, previously-unseen photographs, five rare bonus tracks, and an introduction by the group's leader, Ian Whiteman. Four-panel digipack; includes 12-page booklet. "Eastern-influenced hypnotic psychedelic music" - The Tapestry Of Delights
CD $17

LP Section:

PHAROAH SANDERS With LONNIE LISTON SMITH / SIRONE / MAJEED SHABAZZ - Live at Antibes Jazz Festival in Juan-les-Pins July 21, 1968 (Alterative Fox 004; UK) “Pharoah Sanders, live at the Antibes Jazz Festival in Juan-les-Pins on July 21, 1968. Experimental jazz titan Pharoah Sanders made a lasting impact with his unorthodox approach to tenor saxophone. Born Farrell Sanders in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1940, he was given the nickname Pharoah by grandmother, in reference to the potential regal lineage of his African heritage. Playing clarinet at church services during his youth, he began playing tenor sax at high school. In 1959 he moved to Oakland, California, where he played with rhythm and blues bands and befriended John Coltrane. Moving to New York in 1961, he drifted into Sun Ra's Arkestra after experiencing a difficult period of homelessness. His status began to rise upon joining Coltrane's band in 1965, where his discordant solos formed a strong contrast to Trane's more melodious sound, though each player had a strong impact on the other's subsequent work. Following Coltrane's untimely death in 1967, Sanders formed a quartet of his own with former Jazz Messengers pianist Lonnie Liston Smith, bassist Norman "Sirone" Jones of the Untraditional Jazz Improvisational Team, and drummer Majeed Shabazz. For this blistering performance, given at the Antibes Jazz Festival of 1968 and broadcast on French radio station WDR3, the quartet moves through various Sanders free-jazz workouts, taking in "Venus" from the Tauhid album (1967) and "The Creator Has A Master Plan" from Karma (1969) along the way, with the rhythm section holding down the fort as Sanders blows himself into the stratosphere.”
LP $18


MASAHIKO TOGASHI, STEVE LACY, DON CHERRY & DAVE HOLLAND - Live at Yubin Chokin Kaikan Hall, Tokyo on May 14, 1986 (Victory 25AH986LP; Italy) For this historical concert held at the Yubin Chokin Hall, in Tokyo on May 14, 1986, the legendary Japanese drummer Masahiko Togashi brought together an amazing line-up with such modern jazz luminaries as Steve Lacy (soprano sax), Don Cherry (pocket trumpet), and Dave Holland (bass). This particular album consists of four previously unpublished tracks (on vinyl), including some highly regarded Lacy's compositions such as "The Crus"" and "Quakes" and Don Cherry's African flavored anthem called "Mopti". The Lacy-Cherry frontline flies over the agile, airy rhythm section of Holland and Togashi and the interplay between the four master musicians sounds loose and relaxed. This is a must-hear for any post free jazz fan.
LP $24


YUSEF LATEEF - Hikima: Creativity (Key Systems 001; USA) “Key System Recordings present a reissue of Yusef Lateef's Hikima: Creativity, originally released in 1983. In the early 1980s, famed jazz saxophonist and musical luminary Yusef Lateef traveled to Nigeria as a Senior Research Fellow to study, write, and teach at Ahmadu Bello University. He cut this record while there; pressed locally in Nigeria, it remained virtually unknown by jazz fans and collectors for over 30 years. On Hikima, Lateef leads a nonet of African musicians in seven compositions that fuse his deep blues and jazz roots with native Nigerian instruments, drums and chants. The sounds stretch from meditative and melancholic to urgent and unrelenting. A singular recording impossible to classify or box in. Lovingly pressed to vinyl by Key System Recordings, a new imprint dedicated to progressive and underground music of all types helmed by Jonathan Sklute, founder of NYC vinyl boutique Good Records. Officially licensed through the Lateef estate. Restored and remastered by Jessica Thompson. Pressed at RTI; sleeve done at Dorado; initial edition of 800.
LP $25


STEVE REICH - Berkeley November 7, 1970 (Alternative Fox 002; UK) “Alternative Fox delivers a landmark release in the history of minimalism with a live performance documented from one of the genre's key figures: Steve Reich. Recorded live at Berkeley University in the 1970s (home also to key minimalism figures Terry Riley and La Monte Young), this performance sees Reich deliver some of his now legendary compositions, such as the shifting tape-loop experimentation of "My Name Is", whereby vocals are cut-up, looped, and played at different speeds to create constantly shifting combinations. Similar to his "It's Gonna Rain", it's utterly disorientating and makes for an absorbing listening whilst doffing a cap to cut-up techniques championed by early Dadaists and later Brion Gyson and Burroughs. The two-part "Piano Phase" demonstrates the effects of playing minimalistic notes on two separate pianos at slightly different speeds, so the two drifting an out of phase with each other. The effects are highly meditative, causing subtle rhythmic mutations throughout the piece, whilst "Phase Patterns" explores a similar technique albeit with a grainer electric organ. Last but not least, "Four Organs" explores the effects of sustained chords on multiple organs, set amongst a perpetual maraca, whereby the combination of interlocking chords on the separate instruments amalgamate to form a dense, textured tonal tapestry. 180 gram vinyl.”
LP $18


DAVID ROSENBOOM - Brainwave Music (Black Truffle 048; Australia) Black Truffle present the first ever vinyl reissue of David Rosenboom's legendary Brainwave Music, originally released on A.R.C. Records in 1975. This is an expanded double-LP edition with over 40 minutes of additional contemporaneous material. Pioneer of live electronics, innovator in music education, collaborator with artists as diverse as Jon Hassell, Jacqueline Humbert, Terry Riley, and Anthony Braxton, Rosenboom is renowned for his ground-breaking experiments with the use of brain biofeedback to control live electronic systems. Each of the three pieces that make up the original Brainwave Music LP integrates biofeedback with musical technology in different ways. In the side-long "Portable Gold and Philosophers' Stones", four performers have electrodes and monitoring devices attached to their bodies to receive information about brainwaves, temperature, and galvanic skin response. This information is analyzed and fed into a complex set of frequency dividers and filters, manned by Rosenboom, but essentially played by each of the performers through their psychophysiological responses. The result is a slowly unfolding web of filtered electronic tones over a tanpura-esque fundamental, possessing the unhurried, stately grandeur of an electronic raga. In "Chilean Drought", three different variations of a text about a drought in Chile, read by a different voice in a different style, are associated with the beta, alpha, and theta brainwave bands. Alongside an insistent piano accompaniment, three constantly shifting vocal recordings are controlled by the relative preponderance of each of the brainwave bands in the soloist. "Piano Etude I (Alpha)", the earliest piece included here, is based on research into the link between alpha brain wave production and the execution of repetitive motor tasks. As Rosenboom plays a very rapid, incessantly repeated pattern in both hands, two filters controlled by monitoring his brainwaves process the piano sound, moving gradually higher in frequency as the average alpha amplitude increases. For this reissue, the original LP is supplemented with an additional LP containing an unreleased 1977 live recording of Rosenboom's "On Being Invisible", in which the composer himself performs on an array of electronics that are fed information from his brainwaves. Stretching out over 40 minutes, the piece begins in similar territory to "Portable Gold and Philosophers' Stones" but eventually becomes far wilder, building up to pointillistic bleeps and dense layers of electronic fizz that unexpectedly cut to near-silence. As Rosenboom explains, the piece creates a situation in which the "performer's active imaginative listening became one of the ways to play their instrument, as well as an active agent in how self-organizing musical forms might emerge." Includes archival images and new notes from the composer. Gatefold sleeve design by Lasse Marhaug. Mastered by David Rosenboom from the original analog tape masters. Cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.
2 LP Set $35

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Bruce Lee Gallanter’s Recommended Gig List for May of 2019:

THE NEW STONE
Is Located at the New School’s Glass Box Theatre
55 West 13th street - just east of 6th ave

THE STONE RESIDENCIES / ALEXANDRIA SMITH / MAY 21–24

5/24 Friday
8 pm - QUINTET - Matt Leece (electric guitar) Billy Martin (drums, percussion) Evan Strauss (electric bass) Alexandria Smith (trumpet) Caroline Miller (sample, voice)

THE STONE RESIDENCIES - URI CAINE - MAY 28 – JUNE 1

5/28 Tuesday
8:30 pm - QUARTET - Uri Caine (piano) Drew Gress (bass) Ben Perowsky (drums) Jon Irabagon (sax)

5/29 Wednesday
8:30 pm - TRIO: Uri Caine (piano) Mark Helias (bass) Clarence Penn (drums)

5/30 Thursday
8:30 pm - JOHN ZORN’S MASADA BOOK OF ANGELS - Uri Caine (piano)

5/31 Friday
8:30 pm - TANGO: Uri Caine (piano) Mark Feldman (violin) Agustin Uriburu (cello) Julien Labro (bandoneon) Pablo Aslan (bass)

6/1 Saturday
8:30 pm - PIANO QUINTET - Uri Caine (piano) with string quartet

THE (NEW) STONE is located in The New School’s Glass Box Theatre  
All Sets at The New Stone start at 8:30pm Tickets: $20
There are no refreshments or merchandise at The Stone. 
Only music. All ages are welcome. Cash Only at the door. 
A serious listening environment.
The Stone is booked purely on a curatorial basis

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JOHN ZORN Presents The STONE SERIES at Happy Lucky No. 1:

Friday & Saturday, May 24 & 25th, 2019:

Zeena Parkins - acoustic and electric harps
Ryan Sawyer - drums
Mette Rasmussen - saxophone

Solos/Duos/Trio

THE STONE SERIES at HappyLucky No. 1
2 night residencies
Friday-Saturday weekends
8PM CONCERT - $20 ADMISSION

Happy Lucky No. 1: 734 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216
646 623 0414 / www.happyluckyno1.com
by subway: Take 2, 4, or 5 trains to Franklin; Take 3 train to Nostrand Ave.
Take A or C to Nostrand Ave.

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Bushwick Improvised Music Series Continues:

No Bushwick Series next monday 27th (Memorial Day holiday).
We resume on June 3rd.

Monday June 3rd
7pm John Loggia - drums
Daniel Carter - woodwinds
Zach Swanson - bass

8pm Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
Sandy Ewen - guitar/electronics
Adam Lane - bass

9pm Sam Newsome - soprano saxophone
Joe Morris - guitar
Charmaine Lee - vocals

9:45pm Igor Lumpert - tenor saxophone
Jason Nazary - drums

10:45pm CHRIS WELCOME "LIVE AT THE BUSHWICK SERIES" - CD RELEASE SHOW!!!
Chris Welcome - guitar
Kenny Warren - tumpet
Jake Henry - trumpet
Ben Gerstein - trombone
Anthony Ware - alto saxophone
Sam Weinberg - tenor saxophone
Jonathan Moritz - tenor saxophone
Shayna Dulberger - bass
Mike Pride - drums

11:30pm Carlos Eduardo Quebrada Vásquez - bass
Carlo Costa - drums

Monday June 10th
7pm Kaelen Ghandhi ensemble

8pm Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
Adam Lane - bass
Jeremy Carlstedt - drums

9pm Patrick Brennan - alto saxophone
Brian Groder - trumpet
Hilliard Greene - bass
Michael T.A. Thompson - drums

9:45pm Nick Lyons - alto saxophone
Adam Caine - guitar
Pete Swanson - bass

10:45pm Colin Avery Hinton - drums
Tony Malaby - saxophones
Todd Neufeld - guitar
Eivind Opsvik - bass

11:30pm Noah Becker - saxophone/clarinet
Lesley Mok - drums

Monday June 17th
7pm Camille Emaille - drums
Tom Weeks - saxophone
Alex Cohen - guitar

8pm Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
Sandy Ewen - guitar/electronics
Adam Lane - bass
Kevin Shea - drums

9pm CONLY/ATTIAS/RAINEY "LIVE AT THE BUSHWICK SERIES"
CD RELEASE SHOW!!!
Sean Conly - bass
Michaël Attias - alto saxophone
Tom Rainey - drums

9:45pm Brian Groder - trumpet/flugal horn/compositions
Anders Nilsson - guitar/electronics
Adam Lane - bass
Colin Avery Hinton - drums

10:45pm ALIYA ULTAN - cello
Todd Neufeld - guitar
Billy Mintz - drums

11:30pm Nina Rosalind Dante - vocals
Matteo Liberatore - guitar

Monday June 24th
7pm Paul Austerlitz - contra bass clarinet
Isaiah Obama Richardson Jr. - clarinet
Jasper Dütz - alto & bass clarinet
Ivan Barenboim - contra - bass clarinet
Charles Townsend - electric violin

8pm Stephen Gauci - tenor saxophone
Adam Lane - bass
Kevin Shea - drums

9pm Eric Plaks - piano
Daniel Carter - woodwinds
Matt Lavelle - trumpet/bs. clarinet
Aquilles Navarro - trumpet
Andrew Hadro - baritone sax/bs. clarinet
Adam Lane - bass
Jon Panikkar - drums

9:45pm Joe Hertenstein Quartet

10:45pm Kenneth Jimenez - bass
Hery Paz - tenor saxophone/bs. clarinet
Santiago Leibson - keyboard

11:30pm Austin White - synth
Dave Miller - drums

Downstairs @ Bushwick Public House
https://bushwickpublichouse.com/ gaucimusic.com
1288 Myrtle Avenue , Bushwick
(Across the street from M train Central Ave stop)
$10 suggested donation

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Shapeshifter May, 2019:

May 24
7pm: Lucas Kando Friends
8:15pm: Obamalogue by Charley Gerard
Broken Reed Saxophone Quartet
Jenny Hill (doubling on flute),
Charley Gerard, Justin Flynn (doubling on clarinet)
Dimitri Moderbacher (doubling on string bass),
drummer Todd Isler,
pianist Wade Ridenhour
singer/narrator Gino Sitson.

May 29
7pm - Jim Funnell Trio
Peter Traunmueller - drums
Steve Whipple - bass
Jim Funnell - piano
8:15pm - AfuriKo
Akiko Horii - percussion
Jim Funnell - piano, keyboards

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I-BEAM Presents:

MARA ROSENBLOOM TRIO : RESPIRATION (SPECIAL GUEST: FRANCISCO MELA!)
FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019
8:00 PM 10:00 PM

BARRE PHILLIPS / MAT MANERI / EMILIE LESBROS / HANK ROBERTS
HANK ROBERTS SEXTET
SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2019 - 8:00 PM 11:30 PM
8:00 pm
Barre Phillips - Bass
Emilie Lesbros - Vocals
Mat Maneri - Viola
Hank Roberts - Cello
9:30 pm - Hank Roberts Sextet
Hank Roberts - Cello
Mike McGinnis - Clarinet
Dana Lyn - Violin
Jacob Sacks - Piano
Vinnie Sperrazza - Drums
Brian Drye - Trombone

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2019
DUBOULE, KANZLER, DICKENS VF DUO MICHAEL FOSTER - 8:30 PM 10:30 PM
8:30 - Duboule, Kanzler, Dickens
Marius Duboule, Guitar
Simon Kanzler, Electronics
Deric Dickens, Drums
9:30 - VF DUO Michael Foster
Derry Divo
Dale Nicols
Michael Foster

FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2019 - 8:30 PM 9:30 PM
URS LEIMGRUBER
8:30 pm - Urs Leimgruber - Saxophone Solo
9:30 pm - Urs Leimgruber/Jessica Pavone duo

IBEAM in BROOKLYN, NYC
168 7TH STREET
BROOKLYN, NY, 11215

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This Just in from Drum Master TODD CAPP:

Sunday, May 26th @ Troost 1011 Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
8PM More High and Lonesome Sounds
Matt Sutton pedal steel & David Watson acoustic guitar
9PM Ocean's Roar 900 Drums
Bryan Eubanks soprano saxophone and electronics,
Todd Capp drums and cymbals,
Che Chen double bass
Admission by donation

Monday, May 27th @ Max Fish 120 Orchard St. LES, NYC
7:30 PM Bryan Eubanks Todd Capp
8:30 PM David Watson David First
followed in some order by Weak Signal and Sugarlife
Admission $10